Growing up as children boys played football, played with action figures, and played on their big wheels as opposed to girls who had tcup parties, barbies and bratz dolls, and dress up. These are all stereotypical gender roles that seem to no longer exist as people of the male gender can do things that females do and vice versa. With that being said it is evident that this is socially acceptable in today’s society.

Nicholas Parades, sophomore,  otherwise known as “Nicho” to his peers and fellow student body is a male cheerleader on our school’s cheer squad. Although it may be peculiar for the older age group of people like our grandparents generation this is a perfectly normal thing in today’s generation.

“I would see a lot of people tumbling and I wanted to do it so I joined,” Nicho said, about joining the cheer squad. Although Parades has only been involved in cheer for two years, he has competed in numerous competitions both inside and outside of school cheer. Nicho Parades participates on a competitive cheer squad named The Allegiant Cheer Elite outside of school in where he travels to places in and out of state to compete for placing and prizes.

“It’s different because we’re not cheering on a team, we’re performing for an audience,” said Nicho Parades. Every week during any given sporting event the crowd looks forward to seeing Nicho put on a display of flips, tumbles, and aerials in support of his school and team.

For a multitude of years we have had numerous male cheerleaders participate on our school’s cheer squad but the person to first breach this gender boundary is a man named Roland Davis. Mr. Davis became the first male cheerleader in the year 1970 setting the pathway for other males to also join.

The cheer team has accepted Nicho with open arms and have taken him into their family. “I love this sport because being with my team is like being at home. We’re one big family and it’s great” Nicho said